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Driving On A Suspended License
Driving on a suspended license is a charge that occurs when an individual operating a motor vehicle is stopped and found to have a suspended license. A license is suspended when a prior court order or administrative agency revokes or suspends the license for a specific period of time. During that time the individual cannot operate a motor vehicle or he or she is in violation of the prior court or administrative order.
Are you looking for advice on a Driving on a Suspended License charge? An Attorney fully understands the complex laws surrounding criminal processes and can help Drop the Charge or Reduce your Sentence. Submit your case for FREE to a Qualified Criminal Attorney in your area.
Driving On A Suspended License Penalties
In most situations, despite being a driving on a suspended license being serious charges, the offense is going to be a misdemeanor. This means that typically, although not always, alternative sentencing may be an option. As with most crimes, repeat offenders will receive harsher punishments, including jail time. Please refer to the penalties by states table below.
Possible Penalties
- Fines
- Jail Time
- Impounding the vehicle
- Community Service
- Probation
Driving On A Suspended License Sentencing
Typically sentencing for driving on a suspended sentence hinges on the prosecutor being able to prove that the individual was, in fact, operating a motor vehicle and that he or she was aware that his or her license had been suspended. This means that a criminal defense attorney may be able to prove that the individual was not notified his or her license was suspended or that their name was incorrectly listed on the roster of driver's with suspended sentences. Under these situations the charges may be completely dismissed, however even without these extreme types of defenses an attorney may be able to get the sentence decreased.
Driving On A Suspended License: Fines and Jail by State
Penalties Vary Greatly by Case! For accurate penalties, talk to the court clerk or a lawyer!
| State | Avg. Fines | Avg. Jail | Avg. Probation | Other |
| Alabama | not less than $500.00 nor more than $1,000.00 | not less than two days nor more than 12 months | Varies by Case | |
| Alaska | Maximum fine $1,000 | Maximum time 6 months | Varies by Case | License becomes "re-suspended" for the time period it was before (up to 90 days) |
| Arizona | $0-500 | Varies by Case | Varies by Case | car impounded for 0-3 months, license suspended for equal time, up to 1 year |
| Arkansas | $300-$500 | 1 month | Varies by Case | |
| California | up to $300 | Varies by Case | Varies by Case | f a driver is stopped and the officer cannot verify a valid license, SB 1758 says the vehicle should be impounded for 30 days. (In actual practice some jurisdictions have not been keeping them that long.) To get the car back the driver is required to pay fines, city administrative fees, towing fees, and daily storage fees. In San Francisco for example, the administrative fee is $150, towing fee is $120 and the daily storage rate is $25 after the first day. |
| Colorado | $500-$2,500 | 30 days-1 year | up to 1 year | Judge may order further suspension and/or community service. |
| Connecticut | $100-8,000 | 6months | one year | suspended license |
| Delaware | $500-1,000 | 1-6 months | Varies by Case | Court may impound vehicle for at least 90 days for the first violation. |
| District of Columbia | 1000 | 6 months | 6 moths | |
| Florida | 500 | Maximum of 60 days in Jail | There is no probation for a 2nd Degree Misdemeanor in Florida. | A second offense suspended license charge is a first degree misdemeanor (up to 1 year and $1000 fine) |
| Georgia | up to $1,000 | up to 30 days | up to 1 year | Judge may order more time on license suspension. |
| Hawaii | Varies by Case | up to five years | Varies by Case | the length of license suspension may be extended |
| Idaho | Up to $500.00 | 2 days to 6 months jail | Varies by Case | |
| Illinois | up to $2,500 (unless aggravated circumstances, fine of up to $25,000) | up to 364 days (up to 7 years in prison if under aggrivating circumstances) | Varies by Case | |
| Indiana | $150-$200 | 0-90 days | up to 6 months | Judge may order for an additional 30 day suspension. |
| Iowa | up to $1500 | up to one year | Varies by Case | |
| Kansas | $0-2,500 | 0-1 years | Varies by Case | license suspension extension |
| Kentucky | first offense $250 fine , second offense $500 fine and third offense carries a $1000-$10000 fine | first offense up to three month in jail,second offense up to 12 month in jail ,third offense is a class D felony and carries a one to five years prisontime | Varies by Case | the fines are in addition to the jail or prison sentences |
| Louisiana | $750-$1,000 | 7 days | Varies by Case | Ignition interlock hardship licenses are not available unless a preceding DWI drivers license suspension was the reason for the original suspension/revocation. |
| Maine | $250 for first/$500 for second and subsequent - if license suspended because of DUI fine of $600 | If license suspended because of DUI then 7 days of jail | Varies by Case | |
| Maryland | 0$-500 | 2 months | Varies by Case | |
| Massachusetts | $500 FLAT | 0-6 months | Varies by Case | Driver can lose license up to one year. |
| Michigan | $2500 to $10000 | 3 months-15 years | 1 month | 30 days suspended license |
| Minnesota | $0-1,000 | 0-3 months | Varies by Case | |
| Mississippi | $600.00- $1500 | 10 days | one year | suspended license |
| Missouri | upto $500 | 6 months | Varies by Case | community service |
| Montana | $1,000-10,000 | 6 months-three-year | Two years -36 months | suspended license |
| Nebraska | up to $500 | 7-30 days | up to 6 months | License may be suspended more and driver may receive probation. |
| Nevada | not more than $1,000 | not more than 6 months | Varies by Case | |
| New Hampshire | 1000 | No less than 7 consecutive 24-hour periods in jail to be served within six months | Varies by Case | Additional one year suspension |
| New Jersey | $500-1,000 | 0-3 months | Varies by Case | additional surcharges for repeat offenses, points added to license |
| New Mexico | Will not excede $1,000 plus cost of vehicle imobilization and alternative sentincing program if applicable | Up to 364 days in jail or equivalent period of time in a certified alternative sentencing program | Varies by Case | Immobilization of vehicle for up to 30 days. State will extend license suspension period. |
| New York | $200 -$500 | 30 days in jail - | 3 years probation | |
| North Carolina | $500-$2,500 | up to 1 year | up to 1 year | Judge may order futher suspension and/or community service. |
| North Dakota | $250-$1000 if under the influence of alcohol, depending on the number of convictions | up to 5 years | suspension extended | suspended license |
| Ohio | up to $1000 | 6 months | Varies by Case | |
| Oklahoma | $100.00 - $500.00 | Up to 6 months in Jail. | No Probation for this charge. | Under the Gaje Jeffrey Florence Act, anybody driving with a suspended license can face additional penalties such as an extension of the suspension, one year in the county jail and a fine of up to $2,000. |
| Oregon | $0-6,250 | 0-1 year | Varies by Case | extended license suspension |
| Pennsylvania | $200 (if license suspended because of an alcohol related offence - $1,000 | No less than 90 days | Varies by Case | If license was under suspension, an additional one year is added. If license revoked, an additional two years. |
| Rhode Island | up to $5,000 | up to 1 year | up to 1 year | Judge may order a further suspension. |
| South Carolina | 0-$1,000 | 0-6 months | Varies by Case | Suspended license |
| South Dakota | 1000 | 1 year | Varies by Case | Suspension extended one additional year |
| Tennessee | 1000 | 6 months | 1 year | drivers license will be suspended for 3-10 years |
| Texas | $100-$500 | 72 hours-six months | Varies by Case | If it is shown on the trial of an offense under this section that the person has previously been convicted of an offense under this section or an offense under Section 601.371(a), as that law existed before September 1, 2003, the offense is a Class A misdemeanor. |
| Utah | 750 | 3 months | Varies by Case | |
| Vermont | up to $5,000 | 30 days-5 years | up to 2 years | Judge may order community service and/or drivers license may be suspended further. |
| Virginia | 1000 | 6 months | Varies by Case | |
| Washington | $0-500 | 10 days - 180 days | Varies by Case | May have license revoked for up to a year after date of offense |
| West Virginia | 1000 | first offense up to 6 month | Varies by Case | in additon to the fine and maybe jailtime there is a liscence suspension for the same period for which it had been previously suspended or up to 90 days if the suspension was indefinite |
| Wisconsin | $50-250 | Upto 6 months. | Varies by Case | Community service |
Can A Lawyer Help With Driving On A Suspended License?
For any individual facing a charge of driving on a suspended license and attorney is a must. They can help in your defense because they understand the law and also the possible miscommunication or misinformation that you may have had regarding the status of your license prior to the charges. In cases where your nameincorrectly appears on the suspended driver list an attorney will be instrumental in having the case dismissed prior to even having to go to court.
- If you have been charged with Driving On a Suspended License, Submit Your Case for a Free Review from a skilled Criminal Defense Attorney.